National Mourning period: guidance for faith and belief groups and places of worship
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is issuing the following guidance for faith and belief groups and those who manage places of worship, who may wish to play an active role during this period.
Applies to England
Following Buckingham Palace’s announcement of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a period of National Mourning has started. This will continue until the end of the day of the State Funeral.
National Mourning guidance has been published and is available on GOV.UK. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is issuing the following guidance for faith and belief groups and those who manage places of worship, who may wish to play an active role during this period.
Purpose of this document
Faith and belief groups will be keen to play their part in supporting communities across the country through this difficult period. The material below suggests some ways for such groups to play an active role, in line with the wider process of National Mourning, ahead of the State Funeral itself.
This document is not intended to be prescriptive or a rulebook. Every community will have its own ways of marking the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It provides some general guidance and suggestions that places of worship, and faith and belief groups more generally, may wish to consider when making their own plans for services or other events.
Prayer and worship
The resources below are likely to be most relevant to a Christian audience. However, other faiths or beliefs are most welcome to use or adapt these materials for their own services or events.
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Resources for private Christian prayer and public Christian worship will be made available through The Church of England. These include prayers which could be said in homes and families, and as fully worked-out orders of service which can be customised, as well as resources (liturgical texts, intercessions, etc.) which might be added to services during the period of mourning. All materials may be reproduced, either in whole or in part, without restriction.
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Cambridge University Press, The King’s Printer, has published Special Forms of Service in commemoration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Forms of Service – available via The Church of England – have been authorised for use in the Church of England; other churches may also wish to use this material. It may be reproduced, either in whole or in part, without restriction and without written permission being required.
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Organisers should continue to check the schedule of national, regional and local events in planning their own responses, as it may be appropriate to collaborate with other groups and communities. For example, local authorities will be encouraging people of all faiths and beliefs, and across all denominations, to come together to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Areas of mourning and floral displays
It will be important to consider how local people may look to, or even expect, their places of worship and other such venues to act as focal points for mourning or wider reflection, and to address how people may gather, queue or congregate in and around such spaces.
It is likely that members of the public may wish to lay bouquets, flowers, cards, or other items. Consideration should be given to a site which could be used for this purpose, as well as the need to formally mark the removal of the flowers at 9am on the day following the State Funeral. Local councils should be consulted about an appropriate site and the planning for disposals or wider post-event arrangements as required.
Consideration might be given to providing areas where people could light candles, pray, or undertake other customs relevant to your traditions. The pastoral needs of those who are gathered to mourn, reflect or pay their respects, should also be considered. A suitable framed photograph on a table, perhaps on a white cloth, may be appropriate.
Organisers will also want to take account of wider practical arrangements – such as car parking, accessibility, provision of toilets, likely traffic congestion – especially where there may be a wider effect on the local area.
Books of condolence
An online book of condolence is available via The Royal Family website and The Church of England. There may also be local online arrangements in place, or you may choose whether to point people to the nationally available versions.
Faith and belief groups and those who manage places of worship may also choose to open a physical book of condolence in their venue, or elsewhere. Where this may attract large and/or above average numbers of visitors, we would recommend following the guidance above (‘Areas of mourning’).
It is suggested that both online and physical books of condolence are closed at the end of the day following the day of the State Funeral.
Religious, community and civic buildings
Some venues may wish to consider flying a flag at half-mast. Flags flown at half-mast should remain at this height until the day after the State Funeral. See the guidance from the Flag Institute – especially Flying flags in the United Kingdom and Flags for Churches.
Further guidance on flag flying and flags being raised to mark the Accession will be issued by the Royal Household and the Ministry of Defence.
National Moment of Reflection
The public have been invited to take part in a National Moment of Reflection to mourn the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and reflect on her life and legacy. The National Moment of Reflection will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 September, the night before the State Funeral, and be marked by a one-minute silence.
The silence can be marked privately at home, with friends and family, out on doorsteps or the street with neighbours, at locally arranged community events and vigils or at your place of worship. Community and faith groups, clubs and other organisations across the country are encouraged to take part and people overseas are also encouraged to observe the one-minute silence at 8pm local time.
Other issues to consider
Places of worship and civic buildings are likely to expect larger volumes of people visiting, praying or reflecting, signing books of condolence, laying flowers etc. As such they may wish to think about the following issues.
- Have you recently reviewed your planning with respect to security and emergency planning?
- Have your religious leaders or clergy, staff and volunteers been sufficiently trained and briefed regarding security and emergency procedures?
- Have you got sufficient first aiders on hand, if required?
- Do you have adequate toilet provision and car parking spaces, especially in the light of increased or above average attendees?
- Have you contacted your local police force and/or other local emergency services teams and discussed your planning, plus any associated issues relating to religion or faith?
- Does your plan reflect the additional security measures which might be required, given the possible numbers visiting?
- If necessary, have you liaised with your Counter Terrorism Security Adviser within your local police force?
Co-ordination with others
Consider which other local groups or individuals could be involved in the coordination, planning or delivery of your event, to bring communities together. Some suggestions for those you might want to engage with are:
- Your local authority (council)
- Local dignitaries – Lord Lieutenant, Lord Mayor/Mayor, High Sheriff, etc.
- Local emergency services – police, fire, ambulance, etc.
- Local schools and other academic/educational institutions
- Other places of worship in your area
- Other Christian denominations / local Churches Together group
- Other faith leaders and their communities – via your local Council of Faiths/Inter Faith groups
- Other volunteer bodies – such as the scouts, guides, etc.
- Twinned city, town, or cathedral – both nationally and internationally
Last updated 13 September 2022 + show all updates
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Updated to include arrangements for the National Moment of Reflection.
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First published.